There is a famous chain of restaurants that my mom and I used to go to every time we went to the nearest shopping mall. Their french fries were AMAZING (it’s all about the seasoned steak fries baby!) but the one thing that I could barely get through the door without ordering was their Strawberry Lemonade. It was tart, yet sweet from the berries and it had huge chunks of fresh strawberry that would get so soft they would eventually be able to be sucked up through the straw. It really is one of my favorite food memories because it always signified a great day out with my mother, usually a day to split up the long summer days.
But there are days where a glass of lemonade (even the best ever lemonade) will not suffice. Sometimes you want the tart and the sweet to mingle together on top of a buttery shortbread crust. This was definitely one of those times. These Strawberry Lemonade Bars are EVERYTHING. And by EVERYTHING I mean they’re everything that was good about that delicious glass of lemonade, supercharged into a tiny little bite size square of pure sweet strawberry and tangy lemon curd, atop a rich and buttery cookie-like crust.
Another thing- they are almost (and I mean almost) too cute to eat. They turn out a beautiful shade of pink and look so lovely when sprinkled with powdered sugar. Try swapping out raspberries for a more reddish bar, or try blueberries to make a more purple one! Take care after baking, however, as even if they look like they’re ready to eat, you must let them set in the fridge. They need at least a few hours before slicing.
Ingredients
- 3 ounces unbleached all-purpose flour (about 2/3 cup)
- 1.5 ounces white whole-wheat flour (about 1/3 cup)
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, chilled and diced
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- Cooking spray
- 6 ounces fresh strawberries
- 1.5 ounces unbleached all-purpose flour (about 1/3 cup)
- 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice $
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- To prepare crust, weigh or lightly spoon 3 ounces (about 2/3 cup) all-purpose flour and whole-wheat flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours and next 4 ingredients (through 1/8 teaspoon salt) in the bowl of a food processor; pulse to combine. Add butter and oil; pulse 5 to 6 times or until mixture resembles sand. Pour the mixture into an 8-inch square light-colored metal baking pan coated with cooking spray. Lightly press mixture into bottom of pan. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes.
- To prepare filling, wipe processor clean with paper towels. Place berries in processor; process until smooth. Strain puree through a fine sieve over a bowl, pressing on solids; discard solids. Measure out 1/2 cup fruit puree.
- Weigh or lightly spoon 1.5 ounces (about 1/3 cup) flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Place 1.5 ounces flour in a large bowl. Add fruit puree, granulated sugar, lemon juice, and 1/8 teaspoon salt; stir well with a whisk. Add eggs; gently stir with a whisk until combined. Pour mixture onto hot crust. Bake at 350° for 23 minutes or just until set. Cool completely on a wire rack. Refrigerate for 2 hours before slicing. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar.
Notes
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